2012 Hyundai SONATA Hybrid consumer reviews

I have yet to see another sonata hybrid on the road, and I don't understand why. It's not much more money then the regular sonata, you can get a better deal on them since they are not popular, and you get great gas mileage... I do mostly highway and I'm getting about 37 mpg. I love filling up much less often, having a range more than 100 miles greater than my last car (a lexus.) As an engineer, I really enjoy listening to the engine and checking the stats while I'm driving. The only negative is that the seat is too deep for me (and I'm 5"5", not short) and I have to use a pillow. Other friends who have Sonatas say they are reliable, I guess I'll just have to wait and see.'m getting used to the exterior styling, which I think is too busy and overdone... but it is aerodynamic and quiet. It sure is prettier than the camry, and more roomy (and faster) than the prius. I'm enjoying this new car!

My wife and I are now a 2 Sonata Hybrid family. The first a 2011 base model with heated seats installed by the dealer, the second a 2012 model with the leather package. Both metallic hyper silver. I got the second car because I wanted my wife to have a solid safe car that she enjoyed driving (she put more miles on the hybrid than on her Saturn Aura) and that had an excellent Bluetooth system. I had tried to put install Bluetooth as an aftermarket add-on to her car, but it did not work nearly as effectively as the Bluetooth in the Sonata Hybrid. Safety is important and the Sonata Bluetooth makes it easy to have totally hands free phone use for both calling and receiving calls. In addition, we found that the handling of the Sonata Hybrid was superb with excellent accident avoidance and straight tracking braking. We both like the feel of driving this car. It is also the most popular car with our grandchildren. The ride is very smooth so they can fall asleep in their car seats and the excellent crash rating makes us feel secure while driving our precioius cargo. My daughter drives an Elantra that was made in the US and while the hybrids are made in Korea, my wife and I are pleased that the other Sonatas and Elantras are designed and assembled in the US. I seriously considerred other hybrids, but the Sonata hybrid provides the most driver room and ease of entry of any mid-sized hybrid under $30,000. The 2011 had some low speed hesitation that resolved with free computer adjustments on the first two services. The 2012 started out great. It is economical - with the 2011 I averaged 42+ mpg over more than 12,000 miles in mixed driving (about 70% in the city). With the 2012, I averaged 48+mpg on 2 fillups (almost 500 miles). In summary, this is a very comfortable and safe car that looks good, is fun to drive and is packed with useful technology such as a very effective Bluetooth system.

I purchased my 2012 Sonata hybrid about 4 weeks ago. My mistake was not taking a hybrid for a test drive before buying it. The dealerships here didn?t have any in stock at the time so I test drove the gas model. I?d read about the rough transition going from battery to gas but I figured it was just consumers being overly critical. I was wrong. Mine seems to do it not only going from battery to gas but also during initial acceleration in battery mode as well as low speed accelerating in gas mode. I am totally disappointed with this issue. I may be doing what I thought the other owners were doing, being too critical, I?m comparing my Sonata to my wife?s 2012 Lincoln MKZ hybrid. Hers drives so much smoother than the Sonata does. The gas mileage on my Sonata is not nearly as good as advertised either. I took it on a weekend road trip (about 700 miles total) and actually only got 34.5 mpg doing 65-69 mph. I can?t figure that one out. I really like the car otherwise but am disappointed in the two issues I?ve mentioned.

My hybrid stopped several times on highway. I was able to coast to safety. Turning off and on revived it except once it would not turn on, had it towed. Had it fixed twice and the third time I told them, That's it, I will file lemon law. Well, there was a recall toward the end of 2011 which took care of it. Hyundai did not call it RECALL b/c that means they take blame. Something about voltage of hybrid battery or some other technical thing. Read about others across country w/ same problem. This is a life or death issue. It's OK now, but I only get 27-30 mpg. One long trip = 37. Was not worth the extra cost. BLuetooth is intermittent. CLoth seats stain. Passanger seat has one setting.

I'm coming from a 2006 Acura TSX and looked at the 2012 but decided to go with the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid for the same price. Only complaints: -Needs an option for a mult-way power passenger seat -iPhone disconnects during first 30 seconds of startup, probably due to contention with Bluetooth audio streaming. -NAV system needs more refined categories in POI's (no office supplies category) -Some shifting back and forth between EV and gas engine while warming up, causing some uneveness in shifting early on. Other than these minor complaints , a joy to drive. I opted for the premium package for the panoramic sunroof and upgraded audio system (Infiniti speakers!!!). Look for a plugin Hybrid and maybe a wagon (already in Europe) to arrive

I have had the car for about a month and have enjoyed driving the car a lot. I am surprised at how the car makes you drive more economically by showing how it's doing every second you are behind the wheel. I find myself enjoying the challenge of getting better mileage as I drive. The only complaint I have is the car doesn't come with a spare tire so if you have a blow out the canned sealer isn't going to get you back on the road so this means a long wait to be towed.

The simplest summary is that in my opinion, this is the best roomiest hybrid on the market at under $30,000. The best features for the interior are: 1) The electronic system operates in a logical fashion - I particularly like the system of chimes that tell when the car is turned off, when the engine is on and when something needs to be done such as buckle a seatbelt. 2) The seats are very comfortable and combined with the adjustable steering wheel allow one to be comfortable and to change position during long trips. 3) The Bluetooth works very well to allow hands-free driving. This is a feature that I would not have purchased because I was naive to it before purchasing this car. Now, I would not function without it. 4) Overall roominess - can carry two grandchildren with car seats, daughter, wife and all the luggage for a week-long trip. The exterior is very handsome and has garnered many complements. The headlight system works well and provides excellent illumination of what is ahead. It is wide enough to enable me to see an approaching deer in pitch black night so that I was able to avoid a collision. The engine/transmission is smooth in operatoin and provides good acceleration and smooth shifting, provided that one disengages blue-drive when going up steep hills. Braking is sure and the regenerative system is smooth. Gas mileage I have gotten is about 35 mpg in the city, 45 mpg on the highway. This is driving "normally". If I am not in a rush, I can get 48-50 mpg on the highway driving at 55mph. I average about 40-42 mpg except when it is cold and I turn on heat and heated seats - both work very well but drop the mileage by about 3-4 mpg. The only thing that I would change is I would get leather apolstery - the cloth is too easily stained by our grandchildren.

This is an excellent vehicle. I'm amazed at the previous article calling the vehicle a 'lemon'! I suppose with any manufactured product it's possible for something to go wrong, but my experience is vastly different. The car drives like some of the far more expensive cars i've driven but without the price. The interior is very 'roomy' with plenty of elbow space and leg room. As far as the exterior look of the vehicle is concerned - it has a sexy - fast - appearance and this is not just for looks. Passing cars on the highway is very easy due to the horsepower generated by the 4 cyl engine with electric assist (somewhere near 200hp). The guages on the dashboard are well laid out as are the buttons located on the steering wheel. I didn't purchase the ultimate package that has the moon roof, alloy wheel rims and high end stereo because the purpose for purchasing the car was to save money on fuel... and purchasing the ultimate package would have absorbed the fuel savings I want to make. Having said that, even without the ultimate package this vehcile comes with so many features that are 'standard' that I have no regrets.... Well, one - and it's the only negative comment that I have so far... the stereo that comes standard is very average. Good for talk radio, but music is a bit lifeless. But one can always purchase a better stereo system, right! As far as gas mileage is concerned, I'm getting around 36mpg with mixed city/highway driving. In summary, if you're considering the purchase of this vehicle - take it for a drive. You won't be disappointed.

The Sonata Hybrid does not get the city mpg that is advertised. The dealer can not figure out what to do and Hyundai Customer Service is usless. They just tell you why your driving habits are the problem and refer you back to the dealership. They ignore the customer complaints about the mpg performance. The car will achieve the highway mpg rating but the city mpg performance is erratic. It will vary from a 26-28 mpg range to rising to a 31-32 mpg range for a few days and them drop to the 26 level. This occurs while driving the same roads and conditions on a daily basis. Don't be foolish like I was. I know I have only myself to blame because I bought the car but learn from my mistake and save yourself the $5,000 Hybrid cost premium. The gas only version is the safer buy.

I had high hopes for my hybrid but after having it towed 3 times under 18,000 miles i have to accept i have a lemon. Milage is fine about 35mpg but my car has shut off on the highway, and left me stranded. Hyundai has put drivers in danger by not getting these kinks worked out before putting on the market.